Archive for the 'Joe Torres' Tag Under 'Angels' Category

Left-hander Joe Torres, the Angels' 2000 first-round draft choice, signed with the Texas Rangers as a minor-league free agent on Thursday.

He went 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 59 appearances for the Chicago White Sox's Double-A Birmingham club in 2008 and was a Southern League All-Star.

Torres, 26, who signed with the Angels for a franchise-record (for a high school player) bonus of $2.08 million, was drafted 10th overall and was considered the organization's best prospect by Baseball America in 2001. But he was stymied by a series of injuries in the Angels organization. He missed part of 2003 and all of 2004 after Tommy John surgery.

Torres never got higher than Class-A as an Angel. and had an 8.04 ERA in 43 relief appearances at Rancho Cucamonga in 2006. The White Sox picked him up in 2007, and he had a 3.58 ERA in 32 innings at Class-A.

The 2000 first round was not a stellar group. Chase Utley (15th overall by the Phillies) was head and shoulders the best player taken after Torres. Adam Wainwright (29th), Aaron Heilman (31st), Dustin McGowan (33rd) and Kelly Johnson (40th) went much later. Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez was drafted first overall (by Florida; he was the first high schooler taken first overall since Alex Rodriguez in 1993), and Rocco Baldelli went sixth to Tampa Bay.